This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(f) of the application for a grant of European Community Plant Breeders Rights which was filed for the instant plant variety on Jun. 3, 2008, Application Number 2008/1248.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hebe that is grown for use as a flowering plant for use in containers and in the garden and landscape. The new cultivar is known botanically as HEBE×hybrida and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘TULLYSTRAW’.
‘TULLYSTRAW’ is the product of a breeding program started by the inventor in 1998. The breeding program is ongoing, and is conducted at the inventor's nursery in Ballyboughal, County Dublin, Republic of Ireland. The primary focus of the breeding program is to produce new cultivars of Hebe which are extremely compact and which possess colorful foliage and abundant flowers. These characteristics in combination are considered by the inventor to be of most interest to the relevant market.
The breeding of ‘TULLYSTRAW’ proceeded as follows: First, the inventor assembled several potential parent varieties, including the commercially available cultivars ‘Autumn Glory’ (not patented), ‘Marjorie’ (not patented), ‘Margret’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,231), ‘Oratio Beauty’ (not patented), ‘Red Edge’ (not patented), ‘Albicans’ (not patented), ‘Mrs. Winder’ (not patented), ‘Black Beauty’ (not patented), ‘Great Orme’ (not patented), ‘Pink Wand’ (not patented) together with un-named and un-released varieties of the inventor's own development. Specimen plants of each of these varieties were placed in close proximity at the inventor's nursery in order to facilitate natural pollination. Pollination was not controlled and occurred naturally by means of insects and wind. The parentage was not restricted or monitored and may even have involved varieties not listed herein that were outside of the breeding area as a result of insects carrying pollen in. Once mature, seed was collected from these plants without segregation by parent plant. All of the collected seeds were sown and the new variety, ‘TULLYSTRAW’ was selected in the spring of 2004 from amongst the resultant seedlings.
‘TULLYSTRAW’ was selected by the inventor for its combination of compact, spreading habit and pink flowers. The varieties of Hebe which the inventor considers most closely resemble ‘TULLYSTRAW’ are ‘Great Orme’ (which is one of the possible parent varieties) and the variety ‘Kirkii’ (not patented). In comparison with ‘Great Orme’ which has an upright habit and bears purple flowers, ‘TULLYSTRAW’ exhibits a more spreading habit and bears pink flowers. In comparison with ‘Kirkii’ which is green-leafed and white-flowered, ‘TULLYSTRAW’ is also green-leafed but its leaves exhibit a prominent central vein, and the flowers of ‘TULLYSTRAW’ are pink in color.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by the inventor at the inventor's nursery in 2004. The method of asexual propagation used was softwood cuttings. The inventor has determined that ‘TULLYSTRAW’ stable and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.